Ruins of Martand from N.E.

Photograph of the Surya Temple at Martand, Jammu and Kashmir, taken by Samuel Bourne in 1865. The building, dedicated to the sun deity, is considered a masterpiece of early-Kashmir temple style. It was built by Lalitaditya (r.724-60), a renowned monarch of the Karkota dynasty. The temple comprises a principal sanctuary, with a broad flight of steps leading to the main entrance on its western side, and two minor shrines. Standing at one end of a large rectangular court entered by a central gate in its western side, the temple is situated on a high plateau commanding a spectacular view over Kashmir's central valley. This view was taken during one of Bourne's three photographic expeditions to Kashmir and the Himalayas between 1863 and 1866.